Part 2- The Dawning
Chapter 4 Dead hope burns, Even in the heart's of cynics and Kings. They were led into a grand room, full of sophisticated elegance. Anna took an easy chair, and the rest took hard wood chairs. "I can concentrate better in a hard chair..." said each one in their own variation. Anna laughed delightedly and clapped her gnarly old hands together. "It must be a Chapman peculiarity!" she exclaimed. "Yes. I do believe Mary was the same." said Darling. The name "Chapman" carried hints of youth, and days long gone. Years of girlhood, chasing 'faeries' and creating legends with her elder sister Mary. Darling crossed her ankles, although you couldn't see them. She always crossed her ankles when she was nervous. Darling Hart knew exactly why her niece and nephew were here. Mary was dead. She had not educated them about the Elements. Anna began the job, and Darling was to help them finish it. Ah... but if Tim and Maia knew what was waiting for them upstairs.... Well she was certain they wouldn't sit still any longer. "I am, as you have probably realized, your maternal aunt, Darling." Tim looked at Maia, and they both suppressed grins. They hid it well, but Darling had sharp eyes, and understood and acknowledged far more than any one would have thought. Darling sighed. A sigh of a woman who has endured much, yet still continues plodding through the sharp stones and mud.
"Yes, my name is Darling. What my parents where thinking I can't be sure. And then I went and married a Hart. So my name is Darling Hart. But let me assure you that every day, I try to live down the expectation my names gives. I am not a flighty, beautiful, loving, caring, namby-pampy, and milksoppish woman." she said, putting emphasis on every word. "What I am, you may decide for yourselves after you've heard me speak. " Anna gave Maia and Tim a discreet and significant look. I told you so. "Alright. Anna has presumably given you the history of the Elemental Hands, and now it is my job to teach you to unlock your power. If you even have a power that is. We will not begin tonight. Tonight I will tell you something else." she shifted her position. "One. Phoebe is, as she said, not my blood daughter. But I love her and care for her as if she was. Then why is she not in here you ask. Phoebe is not spoiled. And as she is not my blood I don't know whether she will have Elemental tendencies. Her mother did. Her father is unknown. And from what her mother told me, Phoebe's paternal grandparents did not, but her great- grandmother did. And only Phoebe's maternal Grandfather had power of the Elements. So it is, as you see, tricky.
"But that does not explain why she is not present. She knows of the Elements, and will join in all I teach you. But, tonight we are speaking about something different." Darling knit her white, slender fingers together over her knee, and leaned forward. "Your Father." Tim sat up ramrod straight. Maia's hunted eyes sparkled with her old spirit. The air seemed to crackle and sparkle with energy and long-dead hope. "Your father is alive." she said dramatically. There was no reaction. After a pause, Darling said, "Mary must have told you that... How about this; your father is alive and in this house. Upstairs." That got the sensation she was looking for. "How--why-wha-?!" they spluttered.
"Hush!" she exclaimed. Although she was thoroughly enjoying herself, she dared not show it. "Before you go tramping into his sick room-" a gasp from Maia, "I need to tell you the story. Ahem," she cleared her throat. Maia couldn't listen! How could Darling, Darling Hart, expect her to listen after she said her father was alive! Sick, but alive. But Maia knew this would be important. It took all her will-power to focus her unwavering attention unto Darling. But Maia had an extreme amount of will-power, and she was stubborn too. So when she decided to focus, focus she did. *** The tale Darling told went along these lines; Benjamin left to war. In battle, he was injured grievously. It was a blow towards the back of his head, where the part of the brain that allows you to control the Elements is. He was taken to a hospital. There he lay, unconscious for a year. After 12 months, Benjamin opened his eyes. He sent a letter to his wife, telling her where he was, and what was going on. He was too weak to go home. A rare connection can be formed between two people with elemental powers. It is called a Harmony Joint. Benjamin and Mary, were not only husband and wife, but they were the best of friends. So Mary came to the hospital, and left the children alone for a weekend. She took her husband on a walk in a wheelchair, to a near park. They went into the trees, and formed the connection. She lit up her hands with her elements, and he did the same to his. They put their hands together, and called each other with their minds. With a tremendous force, their hands locked together, and the Elements swirled around them with loud noises. The connection was made. From then on, Mary lent her powers to Benjamin to help him to heal. They decided Benjamin's existence would be hidden for the time being from Maia and Tim. They were getting older, yes, but still too young to know about the Elements. During the time between him being hospitalized and him arriving at the Hart Estate, Benjamin worked, and made money. He did this for a rough 8 months. A couple days ago, said Darling. Around the time that Mary died, Benjamin stumbled onto their doorstep. With his remaining energy, he knocked. And fainted. Phoebe screamed up the stairs that a man was dying on their steps and someone needs to save him! Darling came running, with her husband close behind. She gasped when she realized it was Benjamin. Mr. Hart too, recognized him. They took him to a spare room. When he awoke, he told Darling his and Mary's connection was lost, and he wondered what was wrong on Mary's end. He told her that he was almost healed, with the help of the Harmony Joint. He supposed another month of bed rest, and then he would be up and going again. Thus Darling concluded.
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